Sanitary garbage can



Oct, 30, 1951 M. B. CUNNINGHAM 2,573,548k

SANITARY GARBAGBCAN Filed April 50, 1949 a l l nvenlor Gttornegs Patented Oct. 30, 195i f SAITARYGARBAGE CAN Millard B. cunningham, Tulsa, okla.

Application April 30, 1949, Serial No.` 90,735

Claims." (Cl. 220-87) f This invention relates to garbage cans and has for its principal object to provide a garbage can and cover in whichA odorsare counteracted or neutralized, insects and animals kept away and germs destroyed. Y

Other objects of the invention are to provide a cover with a receptacle for disinfectant deodori'zing insecticide liquid and means for feeding sa1d liquidl to weep openings adjacentthe rim; of Ithe can but sealing said openings againstxcessive escape of said liquid ;l to provide a garbage can cover with a depressed reservoir which loosely centers the cover on the can; to provide resilient means connecting the can andrcover'and tending to move the open cover to closed position; to provide a cover in which disinfectant deodori'zing insecticide liquid may be replenished without removing the cover from the can; and to provide a garbage can and cover which is simple and economical to manufacture, easy to open, sanitary and efficient in operation` to destroy odors and keep away insects andanimals'.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, I have provided improvedv details of structure, the preferred forms of which arey illustrated in theaccompa'nying drawings, wherein'z"' Fig. l Vis apersp'ectVeVieW 0f a `garbage.can and lcover embodying the' features of the present invention, portions being broken away .tol better illustrate the structure thereof. j

Fig. 2 is a partial perspective view vofA the garbage can with the cover lifted. v

Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view of the garbage can with the cover moved to the side to remaininopen position.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the can and cover on the linedll, Fig. 1.

. M Fig'. 5 is a perspective vie'w'of a modied'form of garbage can and'cover. a,

Referring more in detail to the drawings: I designates a garbage canillustrated as being Asquare in cross-sectona'nd having' a'bottom 2 6 is shown as being fiat, but it may be crownedv An Yabweep openings, said strip being of suitable width to extend inwardly as at I4 to lie in the liquid in the reservoir and carry said liquid toward thev peripheral edge.

In the illustrated structure, the upper member;

if desired. The peripheral edge is turned down-1 wardly as at I5 to form a side wall I6, thelower-v edge of which is turned inwardly to form al flange Il extending under the edge of thelower member l, the height of the wallV I 6 preferably being-*such that the strip of felt'or other absorbent material I3 fills the space between the peripheralportions- `of the upper and lower plate members,wherein-.yy the ange may be pressed into engagement withgthe lower plate member to clamp the outer edge, of the absorbent strip -between the upperand lower cover members.

edge of the lower plate member intermediate the weep holes I I.. `The absorbent strip adjacent 'the peripheral edge seals the joint of the upper and` lower platemembers, however the edge ofthe krange Ilmay vbe soldered or otherwise suitably secured to the lower plate member if desired. a. v The central portion of the lower plate member is preferably depressed as at I9, the shape ofthe depression corresponding to the geometricshape,-

of the garbage can. The outer edges ofthe de. pressed portion are spaced slightly inwardly of` the walls of the can, saiddepressed portion having' downwardly and inwardly sloping side wallsf I9-,I

the lower edges of which are connected by a bottom wall 20 to form a sump for thev disinfectfar'itA deodorizing insecticide liquid below. the level of the marginal portion of the lower platememberA which extends over the rim of the can, the alc-- sorbent strip extending intdthe sum-p whereby the inner portion is immersed in the liquid. The sloping walls I9 of the depressed portion ofthe lower plate vmember forma depending portion,

on the cover which extendsinto the can and has, a Aloose t therewith, whereby said sloping walls tend to..center thecover on the ca-n and.'e'ffeeft engagement of the 'rim 4 with the overhanging. portion I0 of the lower platemember of thevcoverm.-

The weep holes. I ,Il are preferably staggeredaround said marginal'portion, some'V` beings The absorbent strip is preferably secured against lateral displacementasgby a plurality of indentations I 8 or other suitable.- projections or fastening arranged in the marginal:

l 3 stantially in alignment and others spaced outwardly toward the periphery of the cover whereby the liquid moved by capillary action through the felt creates vapors that srround the upper portion of the can, said vaporsbeing such that they will deodorize odors usually emanating from the garbage, tend to kill any flies or other insects coming around the can, and tend .to `keep any small animals away from thecan.w l l, N

The upper plate member 6 of the cover is provided with a ll opening 2| through which the liquid may be replaced in the reservoir A*as `is necessary or desirable, said fill opening bei-ng closed by a suitable removable cap ?,2 threaded or otherwise applied to the fill op'enin'g"`2|. 'The cover 5 is provided with springs JZBsuitably. Tse-'- cured as by hooks 24 or the like adjacent l.the peripheral edge of said,cover and substantially centrally of opposite sides thereof, the lower end of-aid springs being secured byhooks '255 or the likefadjacen'tthe handles-of the can, said springs preferably being connected to the can on the vertical -center of opposite walls with suflicient tension on the spring to ten'd to retain the cover in engagement with the yrim of the can-when the coveris`in closed position. -A handle 26 is securedto the upper platemember 6 of the lcover adjacent the periphery thereof and preferably adjacent `the -side edge intermediate the sides to whichfthe springs Yare connected whereby upward forcepn the-handle tends to -liftithe side of the cover to eiect a fulcrumaction between theV opp'oSite-sde of the cover and-rim,-saidrim engaging between the sloping wall I9 and the overhanging -po'rtion of the lower plate member. AThe springs -tend Vto return the cover to closed position. Thereforawhen-the garbage has been emptied into the-can, the handle Vmay be released and thel spring return the coverto closed position, the sloping Walls -IV9 .centering -said cover.

IIf-it isdesired to have the can open-for a period (if time, the covermay be ylifted and swung Aover thesijdelof -the can as illustrated inFig. 3. In thisgposition, the tension on the spring tends to hold lthe l"covergin engagement with the rside walls whereby the cover remains connected to said can, fIf vit' is desired to completely remove the coverpthe'springs may be releasedfrom thefhook Zliandl the :entire cover removed frointhe'can.

'Thestructure of the can iandcover illustrated in Fi g."5 substantially the same asthlat of"`Fig. 1 except that the 'can 2'I 'is 'circularin'cioss-section and the cover Y23fairdjthe 'depressed vportion 29`thereof are circular, `.this VAformy merely illustrating that the .invention is adaptable for any.

with the rim of the can weep openings II to surround the upper portion of the can, deodorizing any odors emanating therefrom and keeping insects, animals and the like from said can. In order to place garbage in the can the handle is grasped and the side of the cover pulled upwardly and held while the garbage is emptied. The handle is then released and the cover returned to closed position. While thecover is tilted the liquid in the sump tends to move toon`e side ofthe reservoir and if left in that position for a considerable period the -absorbent strip over the weep openings might 'become saturated to the extent that some liquid the lid, However, the absorbent strip forms a partial seal tothe weep openings which are quite lfsm'alrandsubstantially prevents any leakage of the liquid. Therefore, the deodorant and disinfctant'li'quid need onlyfbe renewed about every said'can. "Springs 23`are hoo'ked'to the coverfand e to the hooks 25 ;on the Vside 4walls oflthe jean. The llcapZZ is vremoved and suitable insecticide liquid 'having disinfectantand"deodorant qualities is 1poured into the fill Vopening to-provilef'a Suitable quantity vof said liquid in the 'sumpj'of said cover. Thell vcapis then closed 'andthe can isreadyfor'use. The liquid 'saturatesj'the portion =of the absorbent strip extending'iinto the sump, lsaid strip operatingin the Isantiernanner Yas Za wick to `move vliquidto the portionjof.

they stripfoverlyingjthe weep V'openings I I. L 'The liquid saturating nthe vabsorbent `Vstrip [i3 evaporates, causing vapors 'to'es'cape through "the 'K month or the like.

It is believed obvious that I have provided a novel garbage can and cover which will maintain-a sanitary and deodorized condition around the Ican yand'will also keep away small animals and insects, said cover being easy -to manipulate and always tending 5to maintain the'can in covered condition, yet providingeasy access to the can for yemptying same.

What I claim anddesire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A sanitary garbage 'can' cover comprising, a top plate, -a bottom` plate spaced from the Itop plate, said Vtop and bottom platesbeing connected at the peripheral edges thereof torform a reservoir Vtherebetween adapted to contain deodorant insecticide liquid, saidbottom plate having a plurality of spaced weep openings adjacent the peripheral edge, an absorbent strip secured between the top and bottom plates adjacent the periphery thereof and overlying the weep -openings, saidstrip havingipor'tions eXtending'i-nwardly into the insecticide liquid, and a Yiill 'litting having `communication with the V'space tbetween the -to'p and bottom plate for applying the insecticide'to Y'the reservoir. j,

2. A'sanitary garbagecancover comprisingfa. top plate, a bottom plate Vspaced from the top plate, said top and bottom plates being *connecte'd 'at the j'peripheialedges thereof, said bottom plate having `a :depressed portion spaced 'inwardly of thehperiphery and forming a sump adapted to contain vkdet'adorant insecticide liquid, said bottomV plate havinga plurality `of spaced weep openings between the sump and peripheral edge; 'an 'absorbent 'strip' secured -between the top and bottom platesadjacent the Periphery'thereof ,andY overlying the weep openings, saidstrip having portions extending inwardly intojthe sump, "anda iill fittingghaving communication with thespace between the .top'and bottom plate for applying 'the :insecticide tothe sump. p

'3. A'Sanita1y serba-ige.canlbpverfeomprsna a top"V at on said top plate', a' Abottom'plate spaced from Sidhottdm" plate lavihg ja depressed portion spaced' inwardly o'ffthe periphery and forniingfa sump y adaptefdfto ."contaf deodorant insecticideV liquid; saidxbottjemr'piate "ving ,a piuraiity i 'f spaced 'weepopenings between theVA "sunipjand ab'S'Olb'eritfst'rpV secured l"b-f tom' plates adj acent he elyg'the wepbpl-f portions (airfieiidingn e, downwardl yv extendingV .peripheral walls'Y Wardly into the sump, and a ll fitting having communication with the space between the top and bottom plate for applying the insecticide to the sump.

4. A sanitary garbage can cover comprising, a top plate, a bottom plate spaced from the top plate and having peripheral edges connected thereto, said bottom plate having a depressed portion spaced inwardly of the periphery and forming a sump adapted to contain deodorant insecticide liquid, said bottom plate having a plurality of spaced weep openings adjacent the peripheral edge, an absorbent strip secured between the top and bottom plates adjacent the periphery thereof and overlying the weep openings, said strip having portions extending inwardly into the sump, means in one of the plates extending into the absorbent strip for securing same against movement, and a ll fitting having communication with the space between the top and bottom plates for applying the insecticide to the sump.

5. A sanitary garbage can cover comprising, a top plate, downwardly extending peripheral walls on said top plate, said walls terminating in inwardly turned edges, a bottom plate spaced from the top plate and having peripheral edges engaging the peripheral walls of the top plate and resting on the inturned edges thereof, said bottom plate having a depressed portion spaced inwardly of the periphery and forming a sump adapted to contain deodorant insecticide liquid, said bottom plate having a plurality of spaced weep openings between the sump and peripheral edge, and absorbent strip secured between the top and bottom plates adjacent the periphery thereof and overlying the weep openings, said strip having portions extending inwardly into the sump, means in one of the plates extending into the absorbent strip for securing same against movement, and a ll fitting having communication with the space between the top and bottom plates for applying the insecticide to the sump.

MILLARDVB. CUNNINGHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this'patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 335,097 Swift Jan. 26, 1886 1,778,625 Davis Oct. 14, 1930 2,262,327 'McKinnon Nov. l1, 1941 2,425,612 Gamber Aug. 12, 1947 

